<HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META name=GENERATOR content="IncrediMail 1.0"> <STYLE>v\:* { BEHAVIOR: url (#default#vml) } </STYLE>  </HEAD> <BODY style="MARGIN: 5px 10px 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt" background="" scroll=yes bgColor=#ffffff> <TABLE id=INCREDIMAINTABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD style="POSITION: relative; DIRECTION: ltr; FONT-SIZE: 12pt" id=INCREDITEXTREGION width="100%"> <DIV style="PADDING-LEFT: 2px" id=INCREDI_TEXT_AREA> <DIV> <DIV>Matthew,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> First, you wrote, "I'd be up over $200 for a standard tuning service."  If you were doing something on the order of a full service on your visit, that is tuning, some minor voicing, regulation touch-up, etc, you would be in the ball bark.</DIV> <DIV>PTG's dues are a bargain!  We provide a sort of full service.....available to almost 4,000 members around the world.  If we did not keep the dues in line with increasing costs, and improving our 'service' to the membership you would, in time, have no educational resources, no Journal (worth the dues by it's self!), no website, no adequate Home Office building or personnel, the RCOs would be on their own and eventually disappear, no Annual Convention, etc.</DIV> <DIV>The teaching and learning of new and better ways to service our clients would possibly revert back 60 years or so to the way it was when my grandfather was in the business and teaching my dad. They did not want to share any secrets with an 'outsider' lest they make more money</DIV> <DIV>or take away any of their customers.</DIV> <DIV>I can guarantee you that my dad nor I would be who or what we are today without PTG. And where would many of today's technicians be without my dad, LaRoy Edwards, Norm Neblett, Web Phillips, Al Sanderson, and so many other giants in the world of piano technology. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So, to you Matthew and the other members on this list, if you want to be all you can be as a piano technician, get seriously involved in</DIV> <DIV>PTG.   If you haven't challenged the tests, DO IT !  Get involved in your chapter, be a delegate to council! Run for office!</DIV> <DIV>Who knows you could be president of PTG some day.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So much to say and so little time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Jim Coleman, Jr  </DIV> <DIV>Proud to be an RPT</DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt" dir=ltr id=IncrediOriginalFontSize> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" dir=ltr id=IncrediOriginalMessage><I>-------Original Message-------</I></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV id=receivestrings> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" dir=ltr><I><B>From:</B></I> <A href="mailto:toddpianoworks@att.net">Matthew Todd</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" dir=ltr><I><B>Date:</B></I> 08/31/11 23:00:05</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" dir=ltr><I><B>To:</B></I> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" dir=ltr><I><B>Subject:</B></I> [Norton AntiSpam] Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?</DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Dues increase Patrick?  So what else is new?  If I raised my rates as much and as often as the PTG raises theirs, I'd be up over $200 for a standard tuning service.<VAR id=yui-ie-cursor></VAR><BR style="RIGHT: auto" class=yui-cursor></SPAN></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><B><FONT color=#0000ff size=4><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT color=#0000ff size=4><U>TODD PIANO WORKS</U></FONT></B> <BR><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=3>Matthew Todd, Piano Technician</FONT> <BR><FONT size=3>(979) 248-9578</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=3><A href="http://www.toddpianoworks.com/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.toddpianoworks.com</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT size=2 face=Arial> <DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px; rem_BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid" class=hr contentEditable=false readonly="true"></DIV><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> J Patrick Draine <jpdraine@gmail.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Wednesday, August 31, 2011 1:50 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?<BR></FONT><BR> <DIV id=yiv2046449923>Bill, <DIV>Have you spoken to this particular RPT about the piano? Have you offered to show him how the work ought to be done?</DIV> <DIV>If you care enough to bring the situation forward to the public as you have, you might consider following the procedures outlined in the PTG Bylaws, Disciplinary Code. While I doubt that any action would be taken against him, getting the appropriate committees involved may be just the "wake up call" that he needs.</DIV> <DIV>On another note, I suggest you read the September Journal's "Executive Outlook" column, this month written by Vice President Chris Solliday. You will see that our elected leadership is considering furthering our "continuing education and training." This of course will need a major "buy in" from the membership (and, yes, probable dues increases) before any such plan is implemented.</DIV> <DIV>Check it out, and get involved!</DIV> <DIV>Patrick Draine</DIV> <DIV><BR><BR> <DIV class=yiv2046449923gmail_quote>On Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 9:41 AM, Bill Fritz <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:pianofritz50@aol.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:pianofritz50@aol.com">pianofritz50@aol.com</A>></SPAN> wrote:<BR> <DIV><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> <DIV><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></FONT>As to the work being performed, I've already answered that, w/ the customer's confirmation, and more detailed info on my part.<BR></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV></TD></TR> <TR> <TD id=INCREDIFOOTER width="100%"> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width="100%"></TD> <TD id=INCREDISOUND vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SPAN id=IncrediStamp><A href="http://www.incredimail.com/?id=619263&did=10500&ppd=2723,201108041216,9,1,820153269552681380&rui=119956824&sd=20110901"><SPAN name="imgCache" border="0"><IMG border=0 alt="FREE Animations for your email - by IncrediMail! 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